Vows of Eternity
by AfterxThexRain
Summary: Yuki Giou yearns for Love. What will happen when a wish sparks a meeting? Can love be born out of the ashes of a centuries-long war? Will it be accepted? Can it reach...into eternity?


**I'm back~!** It took a long time to find a good storyline to focus on, but here it is! This is the short first chapter, and I plan it'll be about 5-6 chapters long, if all goes well. This chapter leaves something desired, but it was mostly a mood-setter and story starter so I apologize for that. XD

The story, as you can tell, is set back when Yuki was a girl, and more specifically, just before she met Luka. The fic will center around their meeting and life together before Yuki's reincarnation. I always wanted to know how they met, and this is my take on those thoughts. I'm currently in school so updated will be once a week, unless I can manage more. Thanks for your patience, guys! Enjoy!

_AfterXTheXRain_

* * *

It was a clear, autumn day, and the leaves were glowing in shades of auburn, gold and crimson. They swayed on the breeze and cascaded down, hitting the leaf-covered ground below them gently. The breeze felt cool and lovely against the skin. Long, ebony eyelashes fluttered against soft white cheeks as Yuki stood underneath a large maple tree, in full autumn bloom. Sunlight wafted through the clouds, illuminating strands of gold in Yuki's hair. The chill in the air making her blink, Yuki took a deep breath,closed her eyes, and wished for strength.

Yuki had always enjoyed the autumn season, and this year was exceptional beautiful. Could it be because this was, perhaps, the last time she would have the freedom to gaze languidly at them?

"I guess the transient quality of life is what makes it so beautiful", Yuki thought.

Yuki sighed, and deciding the chill was starting to bite a little, resigned herself and started the long walk back to her "home".

Yuki loved the Giou clan. There was no reason not to. They were all wonderful people, and yet…there was no one for her. She had always been alone, and felt more like a beautiful, caged bird, than a real member of their family. Yuki frowned, her heart feeling heavy with her thoughts.

The breeze picked up and the leaves on the ground danced at her feet. Her strawberry-blonde hair fluttered in the breeze.

The road to the twilight mansion was as familiar as always, although this was only the second time she had ever walked it completely alone. She had sneaked out by herself only one other time. Yuki didn't like to trouble the other clan members, but once, when she was young, she had felt so alone, she reached her limits and escaped from the mansion. They had found her, soon enough, and Takashirou had been livid at everyone; Everyone except her.

She was the princess of glass. The frail creature needed protection, even if that meant that she lived a confined, lonely life. Touko tried to alleviate her loneliness, but even she couldn't do much to stave off Yuki's endless loneliness. Yuki didn't argue their reasons, though; She knew perfectly well that they worried about her, about the effects of her powers on her life. She knew, better than anyone, how it felt like to have your time counted, and not have the freedom to live the rest of it to your design. A short, caged life.

_Yuki_.

Her name.

It was a wretched irony. If only she could live up to her name and fly away, somewhere, to where, maybe, she'd find someone just for her.

She could accept the pain. She could accept the cage, but she could never accept the loneliness.

Tap. Tap.

Yuki got closer and closer to the small arch that lead into the mansion, but something wouldn't let her go in, no without visiting her secret pond.

Yes, it was her secret. It was a small, clear pond, and it lay JUST inside the barrier of the go clan, but outside the grounds of the mansion, so no one knew about it, and Yuki had long since discovered a barrier was set up around it, such that it evaded detection of any kind, Giou, Human, r duress. It was a world all it's own, and no one would find her there. She wondered if the barrier hadn't been born the first time she visited all those years ago, when she was a child. Maybe a kind spirit resided in the pond and took pity on the lonely, transient girl. Whatever reason, Yuki was grateful. Approaching the small pond, Yuki kneeled next to it, the soles of her white shoes digging softly into the wet, moss-covered ground. Yuki stretched out her fingers to the clear, emerald-hued water. HEr fingertips danced on top of the water, relishing the feel of cool liquid beneath them. Yuki smiled sadly, and wished she could one day show this magical place to someone special.

Yuki snapped out of her thoughts and noticed one glossy, white pebble along the water's edge. Pushing off with her legs, she stood up and reached down for the lone pebble. No other pebbles in sight, just the one pebble. Yuki gazed sympathetically at it, lost without the other pebbles. Without a second thought, Yuki hurled the pebble into the pond, where it bounced on the water's surface 3 times before sinking slowly underwater. The pond water was so clear that Yuki caught sight of the pebble as it sank lower and lower.

Deciding she should be responsible and go home, Yuki turned and started walking away from the small pond. Just before the small pebble reach the shallow pond's bottom, Yuki turned around and clamped her hands together, closing her eyes, as if in prayer. She delivered a wish to the heavens, and smiled softly up at the now blue, clear sky. A small ray of sunlight fell onto Yuki and she embraced the warmth it brought. Yuki sighed, happily in the sunlight, and started on her way again. Somehow, she felt, that even if she couldn't change things, she still loved the Giou clan, and she loved this world. That alone would get her though, it had to. She reached the arch, and walked inside.

"I'm back" Yuki whispered on the breeze.

Back at the pond, at the very bottom, was the small, smooth, white pebble. Slowly, as if vines were growing, golden words craved themselves onto it's surface.

Golden words read,

"_Please_, if I could have _one_ thing, let it be love. Let it last _forever_."


End file.
